Alexandria is going to update their 2008 Transportation Master Plan with a 2019 Alexandria Mobility Plan (AMP) and they're looking for input. The AMP will update the vision and goals, objectives, and priority strategies to guide the City on transportation plans over the next 5 to 10 years. There are 6 key plan elements: understanding new technology, reducing congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, managing curb space, balancing needs, increasing transit use and supporting the needs and safety of pedestrians and cyclists (emphasis mine).

Work started last year, with recommendations to be ready by the spring. Readers should know that since the 2008 plan was created, there's been a 2016 update to the Bicycle and Pedestrian portion, and one of the goals of the AMP is to incorporate that into the Master Plan.

DDOT hosted the 2nd workshop on the Rock Creek East I Livability Study and there's still not much to report from it. On the one hand, many of the comments they've received have been about crashes, speed and pedestrian and bicyclist safety, and most of their objectives, such as reducing speed and identifying issues for pedestrians and cyclists, fit in the VisionZero paradigm; but there just isn't much brewing yet.

What can be reported is that right now, the study is focusing on 6 intersections and 4 corridors.

Some of these do overlap with current, planned or proposed bike facilities, The Met Branch Trail (MBT) is planned to pass through intersections I-5 and I6. Corridor C-2 Currently has bike lanes that could (?) be extended into the Walter Reed development - according to MoveDC. And intersection I-1 is at 16th which is to have a bike trail someday, again according to MoveDC.

But there isn't any information on what they might do there. Perhaps they presented it at the workshop. Or maybe it will come up in the 3rd workshop which will occur at a point to be determined.

In the meantime, they're doing a pop-up workshop this Saturday at the Safeway at 6500 Piney Branch Rd NW, Washington, DC 20012

I've been on the BAC for over a decade now, and on the legislative committee for most of that time, and I've never seen a year like this when it comes to legislation. There are at least 10 bills that have been introduced this year that should matter to cyclists, and others concerned with safe streets. It's a lot so I'm going to try to break it up into a few posts

The Bicycle Advisory Council (BAC) Expansion Amendment Act Of 2019 was already discussed here. Since then the BAC has suggested that the District Council nominate one person representing scooters or other non-traditional Personal Mobility Devices to join the BAC as well. There's a lot of place that our interests overlap or collide and they should have a voice somewhere in this process. And such a person could help the BAC give better advice (which is the main purpose after all).

The Florida Avenue Multimodal Project Completion Emergency Amendment Act of 2019 has already passed and is headed to the Mayor for signature. That bill sets a September deadline for creating a 6-4 road diet for Florida Avenue between 2nd and H NE and using the newly freed space for something other motor vehicles. It has the same deadline to install High-visibility crosswalk marking. It also requires monthly status reports starting in June. The Mayor needs to respond by the end of the month. A letter couldn't hurt.

Shorten the Notice of Intent period from 30 days to 10 days in cases where the proposed change will increase safety at a high-risk intersection as defined in Move DC and a report about it has been posted on the internet.

Prevent the issuance of building permits until DDOT has published a report assuring that for-hire and delivery vehicles going to that building will not make conditions unsafe

Require the construction of sidewalks on both sides of the street, not just one

Require DDOT

to submit a Vision Zero progress report and make it public. The report will include

A list of projects in MoveDC by ward describing how it would improve safety, increase equitable access to transit, contribute to the mode share goals in MoveDC, decrease motor vehicle speeds.

The expected delivery dates for all the projects in MoveDC for which funds have been allocated

Interim steps for projects that are to be allocated 2 years out

An explanation for why unfunded projects in MoveDC are unfunded

to publish all the data required by the 2016 Bike and Ped safety Act, data from the DOH's annual trauma report, all speed data they collect

to create a transparent, standard project delivery process focused on MoveDC plans and things that make the roads safer and more equitable (sorry alleypalooza).

to update the MoveDC every two years and to report on the goals to get commuter automobile mode share in all wards to lower that 25% and transit share in all wards to at least 50%. Should also include a list of streets to add bus-only lanes to with at least one in each ward and a list of high-risk intersections.

to submit an incident report to the council 30 days afer each crash that results in a fatality or injury including interim design changes that have been put in place, permanent changes they plan to put in place and whether or not it is a high risk intersection.

to install marked crosswalks where an unmarked one currently exists when doing other roadwork (unless DDOT thinks it will make things less safe)

Prevent the issuance of public space permits for new buildings until they have built and restored all the pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure that they were required to build and all that was there prior to construction

Require MPD to collect information about the speed of vehicles involved in collisions or that receive moving violations.

Require anyone getting a new or renewed driver's license to take a written test

Lower the speed limit to 20 mph on all local, collector and minor arterial roads and to 25 mph on all principal arterial roads.

Prohibit right turns on red (everywhere, all the time)

Require stop signs or traffic lights at all intersections of roads classified as local, collector or minor arterial.

Authorize towing of a vehicle blocking a bike lane or crosswalk or that have more than 5 outstanding tickets for exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 mph or for overtaking a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian

Authorize the city to mail citations of more moving and non-moving violations

Create a Citizen Safety Enforcement Pilot Program allowing a few citizens to cite violators using a phone app. This has beenalloverthemedia, and much of it has been bad and/or ill-informed takes.

It's a good start.

Seriously, these are some great ideas. Some of these things the BAC has recommended in the past and some (faster NOIs) are new to me. But they all seem targeted to my Vision Zero sentence that I've been saying which is that:

Getting to Vision Zero will require us to have fewer and safer cars; driven at slower speeds; by sober, safer drivers, on better roads shared by more cautious cyclists and pedestrians.

And this bill will hit on most of these things, and certainly the more important ones.

Finally, just a few comments on some of the media coverage of the Citizens Enforcement pilot. It's fascinating to me that this has gotten all the press (it's become national news even) while the plan to ban RTOR everywhere or lower the speed limit to 20 (!!!) or even, finally approve MoveDC has not. Oh well, I don't know journalism.

You can tell a lot about a person by where they define “snitching.” Is reporting animal abuse snitching? Child abuse?

The article mentions safety once, and not in relation to this bill, but instead goes straight to the AAA framing of "revenue grab" using the old Trump trick

A lot of us wonder whether this has anything to do with the city’s declining parking ticket revenue, thanks to mobile parking apps.

Which might be a valid concern if you thought bad parking was no longer a problem, but she doesn't.

It’s infuriating and dangerous to have cars parked in bike lanes, bus lanes and crosswalks — the violations citizen avengers would be targeting in the proposed pilot program. I live on Capitol Hill and have circled my block for an hour more than once after a Costco shop, past scores of Virginia (mostly) plates overstaying their legal right to park on my street, keeping me from accessing my own home.

I honestly don't think she understands what the proposal is because she mentions both vigilantes and Batman and people parked in RPP spots. That's not what this will be. 10 people from each ward will be selected and trained. They will photograph violators and submit them to DPW who will then review them and issue tickets where warranted. The only tickets this will be for are for parking in a bicycle lane, crosswalk, bus lane or streetcar guideway.

Dvorak is instead worried about the gestapo.

The scars and resentments of this kind of citizen tattling run three generations deep in my family, when the communist regime in Czechoslovakia corrupted families and communities with Little Brother tactics.

But how do we begin to police citizen avenger motivations?

There is overview of the people who are allowed to do this, that's how. It's hard to address her fears because they aren't clearly stated. Is she worried the innocent will be falsely accused? That's what the photos are for. Is she worried that there will be confrontations? Since all the CE's will be doing is taking a photograph, and since they will take training for that, I don't see how it would be any worse than cyclists yelling at drivers. Is she worried it will be inequitably enforced (racist or classist enforcement)? Me too, but cars create some anonymity, making it hard to know who's driving that Honda accord (To be fair, if I were an enforcer I might show a bias towards ticketing Hummers or other giant SUVs, And who wouldn't want to ticket someone in a Maserati?), and I suspect that's one of the things the pilot will study. If we see some inequity then we can tweak or abandon the idea.

She goes on to compare this to public shaming on twitter. That's not what this is either, though that's already happening since people frequently post photos of cars parked in bike lanes. What negative consequence has that had so far?

Luz Lazo also misses the mark though she at least understands the facts. But her story starts off poorly,

D.C. officials are so desperate for more solutions to the city’s parking and traffic problems that they’re considering recruiting citizens to help enforce the rules of the road.

This is not about fixing parking and will only have a small effect on traffic. This is about safety. Now I'll concede that there isn't any proof that blocking the bike lane makes cyclists less safe (sorry, I'm just not aware of any) but at the very least it makes biking frustrating as hell. And blocking crosswalks too, though there I am more confident about calling it a safety risk. But whether or not it is or is not based on data, safety is the goal. She does get to that later.

Then she quotes Walter Olson of the Cato Institute.

"But traffic enforcement does have a lot of judgment calls.”

I'm not sure what judgement call would come into play here, and he doesn't name one. Just some vague idea. I participated in the bike lane project last week. A food truck parked in a hashed off area to wait for the lunch crowd and a parking enforcement car pulled up and told him to leave without issuing a ticket. I guess that's a judgement call - to let that guy go without a ticket - but I don't know if I agreed with it. You get off with a warning if you don't walk away? BTW, the flexposts in the streetview are now gone - wonder how that happened?

Olson also blames this on revenue generation

“The city gets more revenue without having to pay salaries,” he said. “The potential increase in ticket revenue would get their interest right away.”

Ugh. I wish we would just take all the money generated and set it on fire, Dark Knight style, once a year just so we could stop hearing about this.

“The idea of vigilante enforcement is a bad idea,” D.C. attorney David Tompkins said. “Everyone I don’t like would have a lot of tickets. Well, that’s the joke until a real jerk gets ahold of this idea.”

Again, not vigilantes. He should look up what that word means. Violators would get tickets from DPW, they would not be beaten with iron pipes by a mob in the alley.

Imagine what could happen if a resident gets a ticket from his or her neighbor — a neighbor whose address he or she knows.

That is a very special case. One which can happen if you get a ticket from DPW or MPD or DDOT.

There could be some legal issues involved in providing citizens such power

None of those were actually listed.

As with any idea, this could end up being great for neighborhoods or disastrous.

No potential disasters were identified.

The inner libertarian in me, of course, doesn’t approve of such over-policing, but the “nearly hit by a cyclist who rode full speed through a red light and nearly plowed into me when I was legally crossing the crosswalk” in me thinks these people need to obey some traffic laws.

Ah yes, we don't need any more policing except for the people who almost hurt ME. Very libertarian.

Anyway, no hearing has been scheduled for the bill, but when it is, I'm sure it will be widely publicized.

There were a few late changes to the plan but it was mostly the same as was last presented. In addition to dropping the Arlington Hall Trail as noted in my last post on the plan, they

Added language to emphasize the protection of significant natural resources.

Agreed to undertake a feasibility study of a W&OD Trail connection in the East Falls Church neighborhood and to implement on-street safety improvements in the near term. "A representative of the East Falls Church neighborhood raised a concern that the final draft only calls for an engineering study to address a gap in the W&OD Trail in the East Falls Church neighborhood. County staff feel that an engineering feasibility study is the appropriate initial action to addressing the trail’s discontinuity and identify possible options. Findings from that study can be used by the County and regional partners to determine whether to move forward with design and construction of a project." The planning commission recommended adding the language "In the near term consider spot improvements to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians along sections of Van Buren and Tuckahoe streets that connect the trail."

In addition, the planning commission recommended the following addition of language to Appendix D, which is the list of Planned Bicycle Facility Projects.

In the project descriptions below, references to “enhanced bicycle facility” call for low-stress bicycle facilities that comply with the design guidance in Appendix C. Taken together and with current bicycle facilities that meet the guidance, these projects establish the Low Traffic Stress Bicycle Network referenced in Figure 1 of this document. The exact facility type will be determined through a project scoping process once funding is identified with the minimum acceptable facility being determined by Figure 4 in Appendix C

This language, they say

more closely relates proposed on-street bikeway design to national guidance for low-stress bicycling

And they added a recommendation

Longer-term, pursue opportunities for enhancing bicycle connections within the Alcova Heights neighborhood to create greater connections within only County and/or NFATC properties allowing bicycles to traverse north and south without utilizing Glebe Road

The updates to the plan are good and the list of proposed projects covers most things bike advocates want. But the plan is only the first part. As the reports note:

While some of the project proposals are expected to be delivered by private entities or regional partners, most of the projects will require allocation of County resources through the biennial Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Allocation of necessary funding during the CIP process will be determined as the priority of proposed bikeway projects are weighed against other transportation projects and capital needs.

DDOT is hosting a public meeting on the Rock Creek Far West Livability Study. Livability studies are used to define improvements in public space that increase safety and access for all users of the transportation system.

Each livability study concludes with a list of recommendations, which can include safer pedestrian crossings, more accessible bus stops, geometric adjustments that support intersection safety, enhanced green spaces, signage for better driver information, and speed controls in sensitive areas.

In2014, Mayor Gray had DDOT lead an effort to create a new transportation plan called MoveDC. MoveDC, finished in May of 2014, included bicycle, pedestrian, transit, vehicle and freight element. In October of that year they released a two-year action plan. Then Mayor Gray lost re-election.

Now I still point to MoveDC as the District's plan, but when I do government types say "well, yes and no" because it was never officially adopted. Whatever that means. It feels more and more like we don't actually have a bicycle plan. If the MoveDC bicycle element isn't it, and the 2005 Bike plan has run its course, then what is the plan? No one really knows and it would be nice if DC had a new plan, or at least a bike plan we could point to without getting a head tilt and shrugged shoulders and "that's not REALLY the plan."

What's also weird is that they still promote the 2014 2-year action plan on the MoveDC website. If there isn't going to be a new 2 year plan in 2016 or 2018, then it's time to stop putting this on the front page. But looking at we can see how well they did (at least for bike stuff).

Metropolitan Branch Trail - There was not a lot of progress until 2017. Gonna call this one late.

Build 15 miles of bike facilities - In 2014 they built 10 miles, but most of that before the plan was adopted. In 2015, they built 4.42 miles and in 2016 they were planning to get 6 miles, but did not build that many.

Study the east side of downtown bicycle facility - Studied it many times

Identify needs and solutions for Crosstown Mutlimodal Study - that part was probably done by 2016

There are other items labeled "bicycle element" that seem less important so I skipped them.

The two-year plan seems like a mixed bag. They did most of these things eventually, but some behind schedule, and this list was a little cherry-picked to hit things they were already planning to do. MBT and Rock Creek represent projects that date back to the 1990's.

But back to what the plan is now. In addition to MoveDC, there is also the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). This is the federally mandated multi-year listing of all upcoming projects that will be funded with federal dollars. This is not a plan. But in the short term, it's the best we've got.

Anyway, I'm not clear on what the Bowser goals are wrt to transportation, what the plan is or she's meeting her goals. I don't know if we're being successful or not, but she must be because she was re-elected.

The Montgomery County Planning Department has been working on plan for Lyttonsville for several years now. In 2017 the county approved the Greater Lyttonsville Sector Plan which amended several other area plans in preparation for the coming Purple Line. Because the Purple Line will upgrade and expand the Capital Crescent Trail - which will pass straight through the area - the plan will have an effect on the trail. The Sector Plan stated that the next steps was to create a Greater Lyttonsville Design Guideline and so the Planning Department recently began work on that.

One of the key goals of the sector plan is to improve the walkability and bikeability of the area, and strategies for achieving that include making the area a Bicycle-Pedestrian Priority Area, expanding trails and adding cycletracks and other on-road bike facilities.

The Design Guidelines will set Streetscape Design guidelines that will determine how roads, sidewalks, intersections and crossings function. In addition the design of Parks will guide future work on what trails and linear parks look like.

They already have some ideas of what they want to do. For example along south side of the the new trail they'd like to include a linear park. That linear park would open to larger green spaces like a larger civic green connecting to Lyttonsville Place and thePurple Line Station beyond.

The linear open space will be a green area along the Capital Crescent Trail with landscape and activity areas. The configuration of the open space if the [land south of the trail] redevelops will be guided by the design guidelines for parks and open space.

Just east of there, they'd like a connection across the underdeveloped property on the south and another connection to Garfield Ave on the north side, though that won't be easy.

The area on Fort Detrick property will need to be capped per Maryland Department of the Environment requirements, and there are steep slopes. These landfill, slopes and ownership issues are a barrier, so we cannot say for certain that the trail connection will be implemented. The preferred access point would be the one at the end of Garfield Avenue because it does not have property ownership constraints, but it does have topographic constraints

In December they plan to brief the Planning Board on their work and early next year, they plan to put out a working draft. Even building design guidelines impact cyclists when it comes to parking and shower/changing facilities.

The picture above is of what a new 16th Street just west of the railroad tracks and a future Purple Line station could look like.

For the first time, in addition to projects that the region’s transportation agencies expect to be able to afford between now and 2045, the plan includes aspirational projects, programs, and policies that go beyond financial constraints. Though the focus of the financially constrained element (those items they expect to be able to afford) is on regionally significant road and transit projects, Visualize 2045 also highlights bicycle and pedestrian projects, freight planning, and other transportation programs aimed at reducing congestion and improving air quality.

The aspirational initiatives are:

1. Bring jobs and housing closer together2. Expand bus rapid transit regionwide3. Move more people on Metrorail4. Increase telecommuting and other options for commuting5. Expand the express highway network6. Improve walk and bike access to transit7. Complete the National Capital Trail - a circumferential route around the core of the region

With the glaring exception of 5, this is the framework of a partial Vision Zero plan. Because as I've mentioned getting people to drive less is the best way to reduce road deaths.

Here are some highlights from the report.

They talk about CaBi.

Capital Bikeshare has grown from 1,100 bikes at 114 stations in the District of Columbia and Arlington County, to over 4,300 bikes at 500 stations in five jurisdictions today. Over this time, the number of annual trips taken on the system has more than doubledfrom 1.5 million per year to over 3.7 million.

DDOT is proposing adding six new segments to its existing bicycle path network. The following projects will remove one or more traffic lanes to allow for separated bicycle lanes.

• Pennsylvania Ave. SE from 2nd St./Independence Ave. to Barney Circle (1.3 miles) - This project will connect the Anacostia River Trail with bicycle lanes through Capitol Hill to the downtown core. In addition, it will provide cyclist access to bike lanes on Pennsylvania Ave west of the Capitol, and to the Metropolitan Branch Trail. It will reduce off-peak lane capacity from 6 to 4 lanes between 2nd and 14th Streets. During peak hours the existing 6 lanes will be utilized. Between 14th Street and Barney Circle, rush hour lane capacity will be reduced from 8 lanes to 6 lanes; the 6 lane off-peak capacity would be unchanged. • 17th St. NW from New Hampshire Ave. to K St. (<1 mile) - Install two-way protected bike lane on 17th Street NW. This would replace the existing southbound-only conventional bike lane currently in place between New Hampshire Avenue NW and Massachusetts Avenue NW, and continue south to K Street NW. This project is intended to increase bicycle accessibility on a busy corridor for bicycling, and to provide an alternative facility to the congested 15th Street NW protected bike lane.• K St. from 7th St. NW to 1st St. NE (<1 mile) - Install bike lanes (protected in places) along K Street NW/NE. This bikeway would connect Downtown, NoMa, and the Mt Vernon Triangle. • K St. from 1st St. NE to Florida Ave. NE (<1 mile) - Road diet to remove peak hour parking restrictions and provide full time parking along project limits. Peak hour restrictions are directional, 3 to 2 lane. Bicycle lanes will be provided between 1st St NE and 6th St NE. Reduction of one eastbound portal under rail (between 1st and 2nd Sts) to a provide two-way cycle track is currently under consideration with some opposition. • Irving St. from Warder St. NW to Michigan Ave. NE (1 mile) - Install protected bike lanes on Irving Street NE/NW. This bikeway would connect through McMillan-Old Soldier’s Home to Brookland. • New York Ave. NE from Florida Ave. to Bladensburg Rd. (2.3 miles) -The New York Avenue Streetscape and Trail Project is a 30% design plan to install streetscape improvements including lighting, new sidewalk connections, landscaping, traffic signals and signage and a raised cycletrack along New York Avenue NE from Florida Avenue NE to Bladensburg Road NE.

Elsewhere

Walking and biking are forecast to increase at much higher rates than any other mode of travel

Sunday was the deadline to comment on Vision 2045, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments 25 year transportation plan. I haven't done a good job of reporting on it, which is unfortunate because it's important

People working on bike and pedestrian improvements also want a more visionary goal for bike trails, and pedestrian safety across the region to be sure there are real and safe options available to get around in the future in a way that is more accessible to everyone.

“A successful long-range plan needs to put biking, walking and transit at its core. If we want to achieve our environmental, air quality and sustainability goals as a region, we need to be much more forward-thinking in planning for people who bike and walk,” Katie Harris of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association wrote.

Katie Harris has more to say about it here. She points out that there are 3 bike projects recommended for TA funding - the Palisades-Georgetown Trail feasibility study, improved connections between the Capital Crescent Trail and the C&O Canal Trail, and the Military Road feasibility study. Meanwhile the bike/ped subcommittee has said that the focus on the National Capitol Trail or "Bicycle Beltway" is too limited, and not aspirational enough as the things is mostly built by now. Instead we need to start building a regional trails network (one of which, the Trails Coalition has already defined).

Anyway, I coincidentally stumbled on an article and follow-up letters about COG's early 1990's effort in which they decided on a plan to unify the region's "haphazard collection of unconnected bike trails" into a modern, unified network (Turnham, Stephen. "Giant Network of Bicycle Trails Envisioned". Washington Post. 12/5/1991).

The $61 million plan called for "thousands of miles" from the Chesapeake Bay to the Blue Ridge Mountains. I should point out that by bike trails, they mean off-street trails and bike lanes. This system would help the DC region "meet the demands of the Clean Air Act and ease congestion". Between 1987 and 1990 the number of bike commuters who ride into downtown DC had increased from 777 to 1242, and about 1000 of them used Metro for part of their commute. [Things have changed]. In DC 226 miles of bike facilities were planned, half on-street and half off - at the time they (reportedly) had 91 miles (??). Anyway, the whole thing was to be built in "10 to 20 years" according to Ron Kirby.

Not everyone was stoked. Someone from Potomac wrote in to call it all a Boondoggle.

The 2,358 bike riders who would be new commuter cyclists would cost more than $25,000 per person, assuming that the estimated $61 million needed for the region's paths does, in fact, produce more cyclists.

Our recent data show that 1,242 people now bike to work on the main roads into downtown Washington alone. Unfortunately, Mr. Evans inaccurately attributes this amount to the entire region. The total number -- including those commuting in such high-employment areas as Montgomery, Prince George's, Fairfax and Arlington counties and Alexandria -- is substantially higher.

In his defense, the original article is written in a way that it could be easily confused. I couldn't find the 1991 plan online, so I don't know which projects they were planning, but in 2000 the list consisted of

The MBT

Anacostia River Trail and Watts Branch Trail rehab

The Cross County Trail in Fairfax County

Extension of the Northwest Branch Tail to Olney (Sorry)

the Monocacy River Greenway from Pennsylvania to the Potomac River in Frederick County (sorry)

The National Capital Planning Commission is working on a review of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Campus Master Plan for its 579-acre headquarters campus located in Gaithersburg, MD.

The master plan provides a framework for the future physical development of the campus to ensure that NIST continues to meet its mission of promoting U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards and technology. The plan focuses on research buildings by modernizing existing laboratories and infrastructure to support current and future research, and by adding new research facilities for planned programs. It also addresses security, roads and campus gates, parking, pedestrian circulation, the landscape, storm water management, the site utilities infrastructure, energy conservation and sustainability.

Though not mentioned above, that also means cycling. NIST would like to make the campus easier to bike to and around. Currently, campus circulation is car oriented and only about 1.1% of employees bike to work, while 83.8% drive. The Master Plan seeks to open access to pedestrians and cyclists by expanding the network of pathways, sidewalks, and trails. Some of the key additions include:

A multi-use trail throughout the periphery of campus will be expanded. It would connect the major points of interests outside of the core of campus to each other. Runners, walkers, or cyclists can access this trail at many different points within the core of campus and it will take them to site features such as the ponds, the recreation and sports fields, western forest, and historic stone test wall. The trail will be low maintenance and not paved, except where it uses existing side walks. Several materials are suggested--woodchip path, natural surface, mown path, gravel--depending on the campus location. Some portions of the trail exists today and are frequently used.

The installation of more bike parking. Covered bicycle parking near key entrances is recommended to encourage ridership. Simple, manufactured shelters are planned. New and replacement bicycle racks should be MCDOT-recommended "U-shape" racks rather than the typical grid style racks existing on campus.

NIST plans to enhance their Transportation Demand Management policies to further encourage use of public transportation and bicycles, and reduce the use of single occupancy vehicles.

Include convenient shower and changing facilities

Identify (and fund if necessary) locations for potential Capitol Bikeshare expansion both on campus and at the Visitor Center as the service expands further into Montgomery County past the current limits near Key West Avenue, within two miles of the NIST campus. Provide an on-campus bikeshare service for employees, if Federal policy permits.

Require employees that drive to obtain/purchase parking permits to park on campus. These permits should designate a parking lot or area in which the vehicle is allowed to park.

Bicycle signage is almost nonexistent within the campus, with cyclists using a combination of sidewalks and roadways to manuever around. It is recommended that shared lane markings (sharrows) be installed on the pavement of North Drive, West Drive, East Drive, South Drive, Center Drive, and Research Drive. By designating these roadways as bicycle routes with appropriate MUTCD-approved signage, drivers will be more aware of cyclists and reduce potential conflicts.

Currently the campus has some bike facilities nearby, but more is planned. Shared-use paths are present along Clopper Road/West Diamond Avenue, which provide east-west connectivity between the Metropolitan Grove MARC station and Gate A. At this time, there is no sidewalk on the east side of Quince Orchard Road along the campus. However, Maryland has planned a new shared-use path for this location. A shared-use path to the south of the campus on Muddy Branch Road provides southern connectivity to the Great Seneca Highway, with bicycle access to areas northwest and southeast of the site.

Two community bicycle/pedestrian trails are proposed, which would provide additional access to and from the NIST campus:

• The Quince Orchard Road shared-use path would be an extension of the existing hiker/biker trail along the east side of Quince Orchard Road that currently terminates approximately one quarter mile south of Gate D to the West Diamond Avenue intersection. This trail would provide much needed pedestrian and bicycle connections and crossings adjacent to the campus on the east side of Quince Orchard Road that could be used by NIST staff to more safely access the campus, particularly at Gate C. Construction is planned for 2018.

• The Muddy Branch Trail is an initiative by the City of Gaithersburg that would provide a hiker/biker trail along the eastern edge of the NIST campus between the campus fence and the Interstate 270 right of way. The trail would provide a connection between West Diamond Avenue and Muddy Branch Road and would require some relocation of NIST fence lines.

It's nice to see so much attention given to biking in a suburban campus. An opportunity for the public to provide comments just ended, but it is possible that more input opportunities will come.